For most of us, we celebrate our culture at this time of year with free-spirited displays of lavish and eccentric costumes, fantastic music, dancing, delicious food, drink, and plenty of drama.

It is a celebration of being "in the moment," knowing that what follows will restore the balance.

On Ash Wednesday, the mask is replaced for many with a symbol drawn in grey ashes which acknowledges the opposite of our excesses. Repentance is the means to restore balance.

When the invitation to the St. Tammany Art Association’s Masqued Ball popped up in email, facebook, Twitter, the web, and even in our mailboxes, many heeded the call, grabbed their best masks, and headed to Columbia Street.

No “R” words anywhere around.

Even offseason, it never takes much to inspire the art of costuming. On this occasion, kings, court jesters, medieval maidens, a geisha girl, a bearded mountain man, Poncho Lafitte, and his consort, Marguerita, were spotted in a crowd adorned with brightly colored, feathers, sequins, and beaded masks in all shapes and sizes.

Carlo Ditta and the Carlo Ditta Trio laid down the beat and the second-line took the floor early in the evening.

An exhibition of photographs made by members of St.Tammany Photographic Society is displayed in the main gallery and included fine examples of photographers capturing the moment: Some serene in feeling; others deeply rooted in mystery.

Nearby, in the Members Gallery, black and white photography by STAA member artists extended the predominance of photography throughout the exhibition space.

Masks in a variety of mediums designed by local artists created a stir in a lively silent auction throughout the evening. Party-goers stayed until the very end in order to secure their favorites with the highest final bid. Some of the masks were wearable artworks, others, less functional, were designed to hang on the wall.

Steve Savoye’s New Orleans Shotgun Masque represented a fanciful recreation of the distinctive architectural shotgun house transformed into a mask complete with a stand.

Monique Perry’s Zebra Masque was an original design made of molded handmade paper.

Venturing beyond the thematic form, Susan Plessala’s Lone Ranger and Tonto purse was a standout seeming to rocket past the notion of penance to come. The cleverly designed accessory features images of our favorite low-tech superhero and his faithful sidekick. This bicultural duo will soon resurface on the big screen and may have acquired some sophisticated tools over time. Meanwhile, this functional little gem is created, after all, in variations on the color grey – perfect during the after-party season when we really need a smile.

For those who missed this event, not to worry: Halloween will be here before we know it.

Linda Dautreuil is a painter and freelance community writer on Louisiana arts and culture. She may be reached at dautreuil.linda@gmail.com.